This invention relates to a large size, molded plastic reel of the type, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,316 issued Jan. 23, 1990 to James S. Salloum and U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,179 issued Apr. 2, 1991 to James S. Salloum.
Large size reels, such as may be used for carrying cables, strips of rubber-like or plastic materials and the like, typically comprise a hub and disk-like flanges secured to the opposite ends of the hub. Typically, such flanges may run on the order of about two feet to six or seven feet in diameter. The sizes of such reels vary considerably; however, they are large enough to carry heavy weights. In addition, such reels may be subjected to substantial impact loads due to movements or impacts occurring in shipping or transporting and using the reels. Further, they are subjected to varying temperatures and ambient weather conditions. Thus, such reels are normally made of strong and heavy materials.
By way of example, variations of large size reels which are heavy-duty for carrying heavy loads are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,702,242 issued Feb. 19, 1992 to Bureau; No. 2,190,013 issued Feb. 13, 1940 to Byers; No. 2,624,526 issued Jan. 6, 1953 to Green; No. 3,704,838 issued Dec. 5, 1972 to Bernier; No. 3,881,668 issued May 6, 1975 to Poteat; No. 4,083,508 issued Apr. 11, 1978 to Pattillo; No. 4,406,422 issued Sep. 27, 1983 to Philips; No. 4,412,661 issued Nov. 1, 1983 to Wise et.al.; British Patent No. 23,773 issued Nov. 6, 1902 to Sutcliffe; and, French Patent No. 808,511 issued Nov. 14, 1936 to Societe des Etablissements Cadoux. The reels disclosed in each of these patents are generally large size and fabricated with a central hub and opposing disk-like flanges. Reels or spools such as those disclosed in the foregoing patents typically are expected to hold considerable weights. The more recent, above-mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,895,316 and 5,004,179 disclose reels that are sectional in construction and made of molded plastic parts which are assembled together and which can be disassembled when desired. That type of sectional reel can be made in large sizes. Because of the sectional construction, the sizes of, and the expenses involved in fabricating the molds needed for molding the sections may be considerably reduced. More specifically, the reel components, that is the hubs and the flanges, are formed of smaller sections that are interconnected for assembling the reel. The flanges may be molded in varying diameters within a single mold. That is, the mold may be large enough to produce a large size section, which can be assembled with other identical sections, to form a flange, or outer portions of the mold may be blocked off for molding smaller size flange sections. The sections that form the flanges are generally frame-like in construction.
Reels that are of substantial size and molded in the manner disclosed in the forgoing U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,895,316 and 5,004,179, depending upon the plastic materials used and the sizes and the thicknesses of the components, can warp under field conditions involving substantial changes in temperature and other ambient conditions. Also, they can be damaged when impacted with relatively heavy forces. For example, accidentally dropping a reel off the back of a truck or accidentally striking the reel with a moving truck, can damage such reels. An advantage of such reels is that if they are damaged, the damaged sections can be removed and replaced so that the reel can remain operative. But, it would be desired to have such a plastic molded reel which will resist warping and damage caused by severe impacts. Thus, the present invention relates to a large size, sectional reel made of a molded plastic material, which will substantially resist breakage or damage due to impacts and which will resist warping in ambient temperature changes.